Soyuz-FG

Summary

The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle was an improved version of the Soyuz-U from the R-7 family of rockets, designed and constructed by RKTs Progress in Samara, Russia. The rocket's guidance, navigation, and control system was developed and manufactured by the Polisvit Special Design Bureau in Kharkiv, Ukraine.[7]

Soyuz-FG
The launch of Soyuz TMA-3 atop a Soyuz-FG rocket.
FunctionMedium-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerRKTs Progress
Country of originRussia
Cost per launch773,600,000 (2012)[1]
Size
Height51 m (167 ft)[1]
Diameter2.7–3.715 m (8.86–12.19 ft)[1]
Mass310,000–313,000 kg (683,000–690,000 lb)[1]
Stages
  • FG: 3
  • FG/Fregat: 4
Capacity
Payload to LEO[1][2]
Altitude200 km (120 mi)
Orbital inclination51.8°
Mass
  • FG: 6,900 kg (15,200 lb)
  • FG/Fregat: 7,800 kg (17,200 lb)[citation needed]
Associated rockets
FamilyR-7 (Soyuz)
Based onSoyuz-U
Derivative workSoyuz-2
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sitesBaikonur, LC-1/5 and LC-31/6
Total launches
  • 70:
  •     FG: 60[3]
  •     FG/Fregat: 10[4]
Success(es)69
Failure(s)1 (Soyuz MS-10)
First flight20 May 2001 (Progress M1-6)
Last flight25 September 2019 (Soyuz MS-15)
Type of passengers/cargo
Boosters (First stage) – Block B, V, G & D[a]
Height19.6 m (64 ft)
Diameter2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)
Empty mass3,800 kg (8,400 lb)
Gross mass43,400 kg (95,700 lb)
Propellant mass40,350 kg (88,960 lb)[1]
Powered by1 × RD-107A
Maximum thrust
  • SL: 838.5 kN (188,500 lbf)
  • vac: 1,021.3 kN (229,600 lbf)
Specific impulse
  • SL: 263.3 s (2.582 km/s)
  • vac: 320.2 s (3.140 km/s)
Burn time118 seconds
PropellantLOX / RG-1
Second stage (core) – Block A[5]
Height27.1 m (89 ft)
Diameter2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Empty mass6,550 kg (14,440 lb)
Gross mass99,500 kg (219,400 lb)
Propellant mass92,600 kg (204,100 lb)[1]
Powered by1 × RD-108A
Maximum thrust
  • SL: 792.41 kN (178,140 lbf)
  • vac: 921.86 kN (207,240 lbf)
Specific impulse
  • SL: 257.7 s (2.527 km/s)
  • vac: 320.6 s (3.144 km/s)
Burn time286 seconds
PropellantLOX / RG-1
Third stage – Block I[5]
Height6.7 m (22 ft)
Diameter2.66 m (8 ft 9 in)
Empty mass2,410 kg (5,310 lb)
Gross mass25,300 kg (55,800 lb)
Propellant mass22,800 kg (50,300 lb)[1]
Powered by1 × RD-0110
Maximum thrust297.93 kN (66,980 lbf)
Specific impulse326 s (3.20 km/s)
Burn time230 seconds
PropellantLOX / RG-1
Fourth stage (optional) – Fregat[6]
Height1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Empty mass930 kg (2,050 lb)
Propellant mass5,250 kg (11,570 lb)
Powered by1 × S5.92
Maximum thrust19.85 kN (4,460 lbf)
Specific impulse333.2 s (3.268 km/s)
Burn timeUp to 1,100 seconds (up to 20 starts)
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH

Soyuz-FG made its maiden flight on 20 May 2001, carrying a Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). It was retired after the 25 September 2019 launch of Soyuz MS-15 to the ISS; the analog control system significantly limited its capabilities and prompted its replacement by the Soyuz 2.[8] From 30 October 2002 to 25 September 2019, the Soyuz-FG was the only vehicle used by the Russian Federal Space Agency to launch Soyuz TMA, Soyuz TMA-M and Soyuz MS crewed spacecraft to the ISS.

For uncrewed flights, Soyuz-FG optionally flew with a Fregat upper stage, developed and produced by Lavochkin Association in Khimki. The maiden flight of this configuration occurred on 2 June 2003, the first of ten such launches.[4] Launches of the Soyuz-FG/Fregat configuration were marketed by a European-Russian company called Starsem.

Soyuz-FG was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, from Gagarin's Start (Site 1/5) for crewed missions, and from Site 31/6 for satellite launches with the Fregat upper stage.

The Soyuz-FG performed 64 successful launches until its first failure on 11 October 2018 with the Soyuz MS-10 mission. A video recording of the spaceflight released several weeks later suggested a faulty sensor, resulted in the destruction of the rocket. The crew, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin, escaped safely.[9]

The FG designation stands for forsunochnaya golovka, Russian for injector head, the main component which received significant improvements. The previous RD-107 and RD-108 engines on the first and second stages, respectively, used 260 two-component centrifugal injectors. The improved RD-107A and RD-108A engines each had more than a thousand one-component injectors. These new injectors allowed finer aeration of propellant for more thorough burning and reduced the probability of high-frequency vibrations inside the combustion chambers. The result was increase in specific impulse by about 5 seconds (0.049 km/s), or about five percent, which allowed the rocket to lift another 250 to 300 kilograms (550 to 660 lb) of payload to orbit.[1]

The Soyuz-FG was an interim upgrade designed to bridge the gap between the venerable Soyuz-U, in use since the 1970s, and the heavily modernized Soyuz-2, which was still under development when the FG was introduced. Although Progress initially planned to use the RD-107A and RD-108A engines on the Soyuz-2, the availability of flight-ready engines led to the decision to introduce the Soyuz-FG. This strategy allowed the Soyuz-U to remain in service, utilizing the existing stock of older engines, while the Soyuz-FG served as a transitional solution until the Soyuz-2 became fully operational.[1]

Launch history

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Date and time (UTC) Configuration Serial number Launch site Result Payload Remarks
20 May 2001
22:32
Soyuz-FG К15000-001 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Progress M1-6 ISS resupply
26 November 2001
18:24
Soyuz-FG Ф15000-002 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Progress M1-7 ISS resupply
Kolibri 2000
25 September 2002
16:58
Soyuz-FG Э15000-003 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Progress M1-9 ISS resupply
30 October 2002
16:58
Soyuz-FG Э15000-004 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-1 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS escape craft
26 April 2003
03:53
Soyuz-FG Э15000-006 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-2 Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 7
2 June 2003
18:24
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Э15000-005/
ST-11
Baikonur LC-31/6 Success Mars Express[10] Mars orbiter
Beagle 2 Mars lander
Spacecraft failed after landing
18 October 2003
05:38
Soyuz-FG Д15000-007 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-3 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 8
27 December 2003
21:30
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Д15000-008/
ST-12
Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success AMOS-2 Communications satellite
19 April 2004
05:19
Soyuz-FG Ж15000-009 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-4 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 9
14 October 2004
03:06
Soyuz-FG Ж15000-012 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-5 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 10
15 April 2005
00:46
Soyuz-FG Ж15000-014 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-6 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 11
13 August 2005
23:28
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Ж15000-011/
ST-13
Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Galaxy 14 Communications satellite
1 October 2005
03:54
Soyuz-FG П15000-017 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-7 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 12
9 November 2005
03:33
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Ж15000-010/
ST-14
Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Venus Express Venus orbiter
28 December 2005
05:19
Soyuz-FG/Fregat П15000-015/
ST-15
Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success GIOVE-A Navigation satellite
30 March 2006
02:30
Soyuz-FG П15000-018 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-8 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 13
18 September 2006
04:08
Soyuz-FG Ц15000-023 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-9 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 14
7 April 2007
17:31
Soyuz-FG Ц15000-019 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-10 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 15
29 May 2007
20:31
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Ц15000-021 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Globalstar × 4 Communications satellites
10 October 2007
13:22 [1]
Soyuz-FG Ц15000-020 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-11 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 16
20 October 2007
20:12
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Ц15000-022 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Globalstar × 4 Communications satellites
14 December 2007
13:17
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Ц15000-025 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success RADARSAT-2 Earth observation
8 April 2008
11:16
Soyuz-FG Ш15000-024 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-12 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 17
First South Korean in space.
26 April 2008
22:16
Soyuz-FG/Fregat П15000-016 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success GIOVE-B Navigation satellite
12 October 2008
07:01
Soyuz-FG Ш15000-026 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-13 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 18
26 March 2009
11:49
Soyuz-FG Ю15000-027 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-14 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 19
27 May 2009
10:34 [2]
Soyuz-FG Ю15000-030 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-15 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 20
30 September 2009
07:14
Soyuz-FG Б15000-029 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-16 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 21
20 December 2009
21:52
Soyuz-FG Б15000-031 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-17 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 22
2 April 2010
04:04
Soyuz-FG Ю15000-028 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-18 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 23
15 June 2010
21:35
Soyuz-FG Б15000-032 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-19 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 24
7 October 2010
23:10
Soyuz-FG Б15000-035 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-01M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 25
15 December 2010
19:09
Soyuz-FG Б15000-034 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-20 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 26
4 April 2011
22:18
Soyuz-FG И15000-036 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-21 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 27
7 June 2011
20:12
Soyuz-FG И15000-037 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-02M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 28
14 November 2011
04:14
Soyuz-FG И15000-038 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-22 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 29
21 December 2011
13:16
Soyuz-FG Л15000-039 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-03M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 30/31
15 May 2012
03:01
Soyuz-FG Л15000-041 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-04M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 31/32
15 July 2012
02:40
Soyuz-FG Л15000-042 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-05M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 32/33
22 July 2012
06:41
Soyuz-FG/Fregat Б15000-033 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success
Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites
23 October 2012
10:51
Soyuz-FG Л15000-044 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Soyuz TMA-06M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 33/34
19 December 2012
12:12
Soyuz-FG Л15000-040 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-07M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 34/35
28 March 2013
20:43
Soyuz-FG Е15000-043 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-08M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 35/36
28 May 2013
20:31
Soyuz-FG Е15000-045 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-09M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 36/37
25 September 2013
20:58
Soyuz-FG Е15000-046 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-10M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 37/38
7 November 2013
04:14
Soyuz-FG Т15000-048 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-11M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 38/39
25 March 2014
21:17
Soyuz-FG Т15000-047 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-12M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 39/40
28 May 2014
19:57
Soyuz-FG Т15000-049 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-13M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 40/41
25 September 2014
20:25
Soyuz-FG Т15000-050 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-14M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 41/42
23 November 2014
21:01
Soyuz-FG T15000-051 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Soyuz TMA-15M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 42/43
27 March 2015
19:42
Soyuz-FG G15000-053 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-16M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 43/44
22 July 2015
21:03
Soyuz-FG G15000-052 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-17M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 44/45
2 September 2015
04:38
Soyuz-FG G15000-054 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-18M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 45/46
15 December 2015
11:03
Soyuz-FG G15000-055 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-19M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 46/47
18 March 2016
21:26
Soyuz-FG R15000-057 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz TMA-20M Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 47/48
7 July 2016
01:36
Soyuz-FG R15000-056 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-01 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 48/49
19 October 2016
08:05
Soyuz-FG R15000-059 Baikonur, Site 31/6 Success Soyuz MS-02 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 49/50
17 November 2016
20:20
Soyuz-FG R15000-060 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-03 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 50/51
20 April 2017
07:13
Soyuz-FG U15000-065 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-04 Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 51/52
28 July 2017
15:40
Soyuz-FG R15000-058 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-05 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 52/53
12 September 2017
21:17
Soyuz-FG U15000-063 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-06 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 53/54
17 December 2017
07:21
Soyuz-FG R15000-061 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-07 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 54/55
21 March 2018
17:44
Soyuz-FG N15000-066 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-08 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 55/56
6 June 2018
11:12
Soyuz-FG U15000-064 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-09 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 56/57
11 October 2018
08:40
Soyuz-FG N15000-062 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Failure Soyuz MS-10 Crewed flight with 2 cosmonauts
Planned for ISS Expedition 57
Aborted during ascent, crew landed safely.
16 November 2018
18:14
Soyuz-FG N15000-068 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Progress MS-10 ISS resupply
3 December 2018
11:31
Soyuz-FG N15000-067 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-11 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 57/58/59
14 March 2019
19:14
Soyuz-FG N15000-070 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-12 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 59/60
20 July 2019
16:28
Soyuz-FG N15000-069 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-13 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 60/61
25 September 2019[11]
13:57:43
Soyuz-FG N15000-071 Baikonur, Site 1/5 Success Soyuz MS-15 Crewed flight with 3 cosmonauts
ISS Expedition 61/62
Last flight of Soyuz-FG variant, to be replaced by Soyuz-2 for future crewed missions.

See also

edit
 
The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft arrives at the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan 10 October 2008.

Notes

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  1. ^ This is a transliteration of the second thorough fifth letters of the Cyrillic alphabet (Б, В, Г, Д). The English translation is Block B, C, D and E.[5]

References

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  • McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  • McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Zak, Anatoly; Chabot, Alain (25 September 2019). "Soyuz-FG". RussianSpaceWeb.com. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ "SOYUZ-FG Launch Vehicle". TsSKB-Progress. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Soyuz-FG (11A511U-FG)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  4. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Soyuz-FG Fregat (11A511U-FG)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ КОСМИЧЕСКОЕ АГЕНТСТВО (РОСКОСМОС)". www.federalspace.ru. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  6. ^ Конструкция разгонного блока "Фрегат". NPO Lavochkin (in Russian). Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Системы управления ракет-носителей (Rus)". Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  8. ^ Zak, Anatoly. "Soyuz-FG's long road to retirement". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  9. ^ Berger, Eric (1 November 2018). "Dramatic footage of Soyuz accident shows rocket booster collision – For the second human launch in a row, there's a likely quality control issue". Ars Technica. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Soyuz FG". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007.
  11. ^ Источник: Россия отправит к МКС семь кораблей и модуль "Наука" в 2019 году [Russia plans to send seven missions to ISS in 2019 including Nauka module] (in Russian). Novosti kosmonavtiki. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
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  • Russian Federal Space Agency about Soyuz-FG (in Russian)
  • LV's manufacturer TsSKB-Progress about Soyuz-FG